so this is what the Lord's been teaching me lately... take it with a grain of salt and compare it with Scripture.
i've been reading through the Psalms for forever now, and it's hard reading psalms when you can't currently relate to the mood of the author. It's amazing when you can, you see how crazy relevant they are and it's like stuff just pours out... but when you're not in a similar place that the psalmist is in, it gets hard some mornings. you still see the relevance, but it's harder to relate to. It's like when someone's going through something... like say they're grieving something or they're rejoicing in learning something and you're just not in the same place... it's hard to relate. you still mourn with them or celebrate with them, but it's hard to really relate. so that has been my quiet times some mornings. i'm like... man David that's cool but i'm not really feeling that right now.
BUT (a lightbulb goes off) the Lord remains the same no matter what the psalmist's mood is! He's always a faithful deliverer and a righteous God and the psalmist always ends up praising the Lord.
I'll just start with Psalm 68... which is CRAZY good.
(4-8) Sing to God, sing praise to His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds- His name is the LORD (Yahweh)- and rejoice before Him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land."
(19-20) Praise be to the LORD (Yahweh), to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death."
(32-35) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the LORD (Yahweh), Selah. to Him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!
Hmmm... He is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows... He gives the lonely FAMILIES, and leads those enslaved and imprisoned with singing.
Psalm 69
(5) You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.
(6) May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me [David], O LORD (Yahweh), the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.
(16) Answer me, O LORD (Yahweh), out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.
(30-31) I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD (Yahweh) more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
(32-33) The poor will see and be glad - you who seek God, may your hearts live! The LORD (Yahweh) hears the needy and does not despise His captive people.
(34-36) Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all tha tmove in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. The people will settle there and posses it; the children of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell there.
Poor --> also used in Psalm 34:6. Not necessarily one without possessions, but one who is without resources (and recognizes this) to effect his own deliverance (or secure his own life, safety, well-being) and so is dependent upon God.
Would Jesus make us poor and weak people. His power is made perfect in my weaknesses, He hears the needy... the poor see and are glad, they seek and are humble.
Isaiah 30 (because I skipped around)
(1) Woe to the obstinate children... - rebellious
- They made plans that weren't His
- They didn't listen to or obey His Spirit
- They didn't consult Him
- They looked to men for protection and refuge
(9-10) These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction. They say to the seers, "See no more visions!" and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!"
(15) This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you [Israel] would have none of it..."
(18) Yet the LORD (Yahweh) longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!
(19-20) O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious He will be when you cry for Him! As soon as He hears, He will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.
(21) Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
(26) The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of His people and heals the wounds He inflicted.
How good is our Lord! Revolutionary grace at its finest.
Psalm 70
(4-5) But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!" Yet, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay."
Poor --> those who realize that they are without resources and are totally dependent upon the Lord
Psalm 71
(3) Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You [God] are my rock and my fortress.
(5) For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.
(14-15) But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.
(18-19) Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me O God, till I declare Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come. Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?
Praise be to our God most high! He is sooo good. He is faithful despite our unfaithfulness, a pursuer even though we continue to run from Him. He is bursting at the seems to tell us of His love and salvation; to let us in on His grace and the extent of His mercy. Hmm... we serve a good good good Lord, who longs to be gracious to us. He doesn't just do it because He feels obligated to fulfill His promises... He does it because He longs to, He yearns for His glory to be revealed in the lives of His kids... He yearns for us to know Him, to have the fullest extent of life, and He wants to know us... It's all for His glory, His fame, His kingdom.
grace and peace,
corley
No comments:
Post a Comment